The invention relates to a connecting device for connecting a wiper arm to a wiper blade in an articulated manner.
The German patent publication DE 20 2005 021 307 U1 discloses a connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade of flat bar construction, said connecting device being suitable for different wiper arms. The connecting device comprises at least one single-part or multi-part connecting element which is fastened rigidly, but releasably, to a supporting element of the wiper blade in the form of spring rails. An adapter is provided between each wiper arm and wiper blade, said adapter having on the one hand connecting options for the connecting element and on the other hand connecting options for one of the wiper arms or for corresponding joining elements, which are rigidly connected to the respective wiper arm or integrally formed with said wiper arm. A joint, the joint axis of which extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction, is disposed between one of the joining elements and an adapter, which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the connecting element or alternatively between a part of the adapter connected in a rotationally fixed manner to said connecting element and a part of the adapter connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the joining element. In so doing, three different adapters result for three different joining elements of the wiper arms.
The connecting device is suitable for a wiper arm with a hook-shaped end or joining element or an end or joining element with a lateral mounting pin and a bridge corresponding to a known sidelock principle, or a wiper arm with an end or joining element, in which the wiper arm runs substantially rectilinearly above the wiper blade and is connected to the connecting element according to the toplock principle.
Another connecting device for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm is known from the German patent publication DE 103 47 637 A1. In this case, a connecting element in the form of a sheet-metal claw has a central longitudinal web which faces away from the supporting element of the wiper blade and into which a transversely running pivot spindle is inserted in a rotationally fixed manner. An adapter with bearing openings which are arranged in lateral spring tongues is mounted pivotably on the pivot spindle, which projects in a floating manner on both sides of the longitudinal web. The adapter, which is manufactured from plastic, surrounds the sheet-metal claw from the outside and is clipped by means of latching elements and retaining elements into a joining element, which is open toward the wiper blade and is connected rigidly to the wiper arm. The adapter is on the one hand guided laterally on the longitudinal web of the sheet-metal claw by means of inner guide webs and is on the other hand inserted at the side walls thereof in a play-free manner in the joining element. For this purpose, a push button is used, which is provided at the end of a spring tongue in a cover wall of the adapter and in the assembled state latches into a matching latching hole in a cover wall of the joining element.